A Battle of the Heart
by Traldor
Summary: Tsukuyo finds Sacchan sleeping in Gin's futon.


Chapter 1

Tsukuyo found herself staring at the front door of Yorozuya Gin. She had been standing there for five minutes. She was hesitant to knock because she didn't really have a good reason to be there. She had a message to give to the owner of this dubious business, but she could have easily given it to one of her subordinates rather than make the trip herself.

The truth was she hadn't seen Gintoki for a while and was curious how her friend was doing. Yes, he was her friend, she told herself. It was nothing for a friend to make a house call. She shouldn't worry over these small details. It must be because Gintoki was one of her first friends. She just wasn't used to the idea yet. That must be it. It had nothing to do with how his eyes glistened in a sword fight or how his hair made her want to find a comb. She was just unaccustomed to visiting a friend.

Gathering her courage she knocked on the door. No one answered. She knocked harder. Still there was no answer. Not wanted to make a scene, she was a dignified member of the Hyaka after all, she tried the door. Surprisingly, she found it unlocked. She didn't want to intrude if no one was around. Normally she would have just left and come back later, but the message she had to give him actually was important.

"Gintoki!" Tsukuyo called out. Only silence answered her.

Feeling a little embarrassed, she moved further into the apartment. She had to be sure that he wasn't home. She knew Gintoki's reputation as well as anyone. A likely scenario was that he was still drunk from a night of revelry, in his futon, sleeping like the dead.

Tsukuyo carefully opened the door to Gintoki's bedroom. Sure enough he was laying there in his futon out like a light. She wasn't surprised; at least not surprised that he was passed out during the late morning hours. What did surprise her was that there was a second person laying in the futon with an arm and leg wrapped around him.

She easily recognized the woman laying there. The two of them had met many times in the past. She had even thought of her as a friend. The woman was Ayame Sarutobi.

A sudden rage came over her. What was she doing here? Did something happen between her and Gintoki while he was drunk, or had she broken in as Tsukuyo had heard the girl had done in the past?

Tsukuyo reached out to grab her arm and drag the offending ninja away from Gintoki. Just as she was about to touch her she rolled to her right, narrowly dodging a rope of natto. When she nimbly came back to her feet she had drawn a kunai and held it defensively. Sarutobi was kneeling on Gintoki's futon with a bowl of natto and a pair of chopsticks in her hand.

"What're you doing here, Sarutobi?" Tsukuyo asked her.

"I should ask you the same thing, Tsukki," Sarutobi rejoined. She held up her bowl of natto ready to strike again.

"I'm not the woman that was found sleeping in a man's futon," she countered.

"You were the woman who was found sneaking into a man's room though."

Tsukuyo's face turned bright red. She did feel guilty coming uninvited into Gintoki's bedroom. "I have a very good reason to be here," she told her defensively.

"So do I, I'm going to be Gin-san's wife!"

At this point there were a few truths that Tsukuyo had to admit to herself. First, she had no claim on Gintoki. Not only did she have no claim but she didn't even want to make a claim on him. Because of this she had no right to begrudge anyone who vied for his affections. The second truth that she had to admit was that Sarutobi's previous statement pissed her off.

"I'll never let you marry Gintoki," she told her without thinking.

"Oh and why is that Tsukki?" Sarutobi challenged her, raising her voice.

"Because you perform underhanded stunts like sneaking into his futon while he's asleep," Tsukuyo couldn't help but to raise her voice as well. "Gintoki deserves someone better."

"And that someone is you I take it." Sarutobi stood up. She was wearing a set of S&M themes pajamas with a whip and rope print.

At this point Tsukuyo noticed that even though the two of them had been arguing loudly Gintoki had not stirred even once. Even inebriated the man had good awareness. There was no way that he'd still be asleep with the noise the two of them were making. That meant that either he was faking being asleep or there was something wrong with him.

"Is there something wrong with him? He hasn't moved since I came in," she asked her.

"Nothing's wrong with him. He's behaving normally for a man who's been drugged," Sarutobi replied.

"Drugged? How'd that happen?"

Sarutobi started to fidget. Her voice raised almost an octave when she answered. "It was the anniversary of when we first met. I wanted to wake up next to him, but he wouldn't let me into his room. Normally I love his neglect play, but…" her voice trailed off as if that explained everything.

"So you drugged him? Now I definitely have to keep you away from him."

Sarutobi laughed. "Like a chain smoking prostitute could keep me and Gin-san from our happy ending."

"Better than a blind, masochistic bimbo," Tsukuyo shot back.

"I think we need to settle this once and for all to see who's the better ninja and truly deserving of Gin-san's love." Sarutobi pulled out her flip phone and dialed a number.

Who was she calling and what did she mean "see who's the better ninja"? Wait, she didn't even want Gintoki's affection. All she wanted to do was protect her friend from this destructive woman. She liked Sarutobi well enough, but Gintoki deserved a woman who could stand up to him as an equal. He needed a woman who could easily go along with his banter and not put up with his bullshit. She didn't know where such a woman could be found but that sure wasn't Sarutobi.

"Who're you calling?"

"Shhhh, I'm on the phone. Ah Zenzou-san, It's me…Yes yes…Okay, but first I need a favor…I know I still owe you for last time…Fine I'll buy some on the way…Yes yes, I know what brand to get…Listen, can you just meet me at the course…Okay, I'll see you there." Sarutobi closed the flip phone and put it away. "If you'll come with me we'll settle this once and for all," she said to Tsukuyo.


End file.
